There exist various door opening and closing apparatuses for a vehicle. An example of the door opening closing apparatuses is disclosed in JP2008-144402A. The door opening and closing apparatus for the vehicle disclosed in JP2008-144402A is configured so as to recognize that a user (an authorized user) is approaching to the vehicle when the user carrying a portable device (an electronic key) is within a predetermined area relative to the vehicle whose doors are locked and when an identification signal (an ID signal) outputted from the portable device to the vehicle through a wireless communication is verified. In a case where the user operates a switch provided at an outside handle of the vehicle under the above-described condition, the door opening and closing apparatus disclosed in JP2008-144402A detects an intention of the user that the user intends to open a vehicle door. Then, for example, the door opening and closing apparatus disclosed in JP2008-144402A actuates a locking actuator and a release actuator. Accordingly, a latch mechanism, that keeps the vehicle door locked, is released, thereby allowing the vehicle door to be opened.
Another example of the door opening and closing apparatuses is disclosed in JP2006-233447A. A door handle apparatus disclosed in JP2006-233447A includes a switch, which is provided at an outside handle of a vehicle and which is configured so as to detect a holding of the outside handle by a user as an intention of the user that intends to open a vehicle door.
According to the disclosures in JP2008-144402A and JP2006-233447A, the switch is provided at the outside handle. Therefore, a water resistance of the switch may not be sufficiently ensured. Furthermore, because only a limited space within the outside handle is allocated for the detection switch, freedom in arrangement of the switch within the outside handle may be limited.
A need thus exists for a door opening and closing apparatus for a vehicle which is not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above.